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Spain kicks out Venezuelan ambassador

A person's shadow is cast on a Venezuelan national flag | Federico Parra/AFP via Getty Images

Spain on Fri day told the Venezuelan ambassador to leave the country within 72 hours as a diplomatic spat between the two countries escalated.

âThe principle of reciprocity in diplomacy implies that we give the same treatment that theyâve given to the Spanish ambassador; declare them persona non grata and give them 72 hours to leave the country,â Spanish government spokesman Inigo Mendez de Vigo said, Reuters reported.

Venezuela on Thursday said the Spanish ambassador to Caracas, JesÃºs Silva FernÃ¡ndez, was to be expelled, given what it called Spainâs âaggressions.â Venezuela accused FernÃ¡ndez of interfering in the countryâs internal affairs, allegations which Spain rejected, the BBC reported.

Venezuelaâs decision came a few days after the European Union imposed a travel ban on the country and sanctioned seven senior Venezuelan officials by freezing their assets.

The EU on Friday condemned Venezuela for expelling the Spanish ambassador and called for the decision to be reversed and diplomatic relations to remain in place.

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